Jewish People

[Jamie]

Are Jewish people a race, or a religion?

I know Judaism is a religion, but to hear people speak of Jewish people, you'd think you were hearing about a race of people, and not a certain religious sect. Also, some Jewish people can be ID'd as Jewish simply because of their last name. So I wonder if anyone happens to know wheather or not Jewish people belong to a certain race, or a religion.

[Sammy gags]

They are people that are either born from a Jewish parent or convert to Judaism, so i guess its a race

[Backglass]

Both.

"Jews (Hebrew: יְהוּדִים, Yehudim; Yiddish: ייִדן, Yidn) are followers of Judaism or, more generally, members of the Jewish people (also known as the Jewish nation, or the Children of Israel), an ethno-religious group descended from the ancient Israelites and from converts who joined their religion. The term also includes those who have undergone an officially recognized formal process of religious conversion to Judaism. "

Judaism shares some of the characteristics of a nation, an ethnicity, a religion, and a culture, making the definition of who is a Jew vary slightly depending on whether a religious or national approach to identity is used.

[Sammy gags]

Jews can also be people living in Judah as well as Judaism practicers

[vtmarik]

I see it as an ethnic label derived solely from a religious background. You aren't "born" a Jew anymore than someone is "born" a Southern Baptist or "born" a Satanist.

The term race on this planet derives from phenotypical differences between homo sapiens. We have people who are black, beige, brown, red, yellow, and we all turn a little green when we get sick. Judaism and the ethnic label of being a Jew crosses all phenotype boundaries. There are Black Jews, Asian Jews, Caucasian Jews, etc. There is no definitive phenotype for "Jew," hence it is not an actual race. It may qualify as an ethnic group within various races, but it is not a separate race unto itself.

[dcowboys055]

its not a race! duhhhh

[Sammy gags]

....when you are born from a jewish parent you are automatically considered a jew for the rest of your life unlike in christianity where you can convert to say episcapalian. & it cant be a religion so what would it be? The best thing i can think of is a race

[Anarkistsdream]

....when you are born from a jewish parent you are automatically considered a jew for the rest of your life unlike in christianity where you can convert to say episcapalian. & it cant be a religion so what would it be? The best thing i can think of is a race

I agree with you, Sammy... Although, technically, it CAN be both, because you can have the case you just stated, but I have several friends who are Jewish who were not born one.

So, although I voted race, I suppose I'd have to change mine to both.

[Dariune]

We are both!!!

I am Jewish by race but not by religion.
Therefore it is a race.

Some are Jewish by religion and not by race and therefore it is a religion.

Why did this question come up?

[Sammy gags]

It depends...with certain people you can be a Jew by your race (people that convert to another religion), by your religion (converted to a Jew), or by both (born a Jew & practice Judaism)

[Stopper]

Why did this question come up?

Probably because it's an old one which keeps coming up. Personally, I'd say it's more or less irrelevant in most of Europe and America, since most nominal Jews and nominal Christians no longer practice any kind of religion, so there is next to nothing to differentiate the two groups.

As far as I'm aware, race has no meaningful biological justification - it's just something which is put on people by society. So, if society stops seeing a group of people as being distinct in any way, shape or form, then they will not be classified as a separate race.

[Serbia]

We are both!!!

I am Jewish by race but not by religion.
Therefore it is a race.

Some are Jewish by religion and not by race and therefore it is a religion.

Why did this question come up?

This is exactly what I was going to say. My aunt is Jewish by religion but not race. Whereas other's (like Dariune) are born Jewish, but don't practice it.

[Kugelblitz22]

Yeah, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

1. European Jews share a lot of DNA. Look how common the prevelance of Tay-Sachs is among their population.

2. Most Jews wouldn't mind admitting there is a lot of genetic overlapping and some charecteristics of "race". The problem is the second you do that some nutball pulls the fact out of hat to justify some disturbing things.

3. Like the Holocaust.

4. Ethnic Cleansing

[Serbia]

Yeah, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

1. European Jews share a lot of DNA. Look how common the prevelance of Tay-Sachs is among their population.

2. Most Jews wouldn't mind admitting there is a lot of genetic overlapping and some charecteristics of "race". The problem is the second you do that some nutball pulls the fact out of hat to justify some disturbing things.

3. Like the Holocaust.

4. Ethnic Cleansing

huh?

[vtmarik]

Yeah, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

1. European Jews share a lot of DNA. Look how common the prevelance of Tay-Sachs is among their population.

Most Jews marry other Jews, much like the fact that most Catholics marry other Catholics. Don't confuse correlation with causation.

2. Most Jews wouldn't mind admitting there is a lot of genetic overlapping and some charecteristics of "race". The problem is the second you do that some nutball pulls the fact out of hat to justify some disturbing things.

3. Like the Holocaust.

4. Ethnic Cleansing

And your point is?

[unriggable]

Well if its a race then lebanon would also have to be jewish people, as they are in the same area. Same way Spanish people are not Hispanic, as Portuguese aren't.

[Machiavelli]

Well if its a race then lebanon would also have to be jewish people, as they are in the same area. Same way Spanish people are not Hispanic, as Portuguese aren't.

If I live with African American's am I an African American?

Two races can coexist.


I nominate the above post for the worst first post ever.

[Guiscard]

What does it matter other than as a question meant to stir up argument?

[Serbia]

Well if its a race then lebanon would also have to be jewish people, as they are in the same area. Same way Spanish people are not Hispanic, as Portuguese aren't.

That's a nonsensical arguement. Welsh people and Scottish people both live on the same Island as English people, yet all three are seperate, with their own language. In your world, how big an area do they have to have to be seperate? Your reasoning makes no sense.

[heavycola]

Well if its a race then lebanon would also have to be jewish people, as they are in the same area. Same way Spanish people are not Hispanic, as Portuguese aren't.

That's a nonsensical arguement. Welsh people and Scottish people both live on the same Island as English people, yet all three are seperate, with their own language. In your world, how big an area do they have to have to be seperate? Your reasoning makes no sense.

Welcome to the CC forums...

[Dariune]

i think this is a ludicrous question to be honest.

The Jews are a race as much as the americans or the english or the french.

Ok a lot of the time we didnt have a country and even now Israel is not only Jews. But a country doesnt make us any less of a race than anyone else. We are scattered because of WW2 (among other things) but we are still Jewish.

However like Hinduism or Catholics Judaism is a Religion. Just because it shares the same name as the race it doesnt make it the same thing.
I have never believed in God. (not as he is described by any organised religion) Therefore i am not Jewish by religion.

Howevgfer i am Jewish by race. They are two very seporate things.

[btownmeggy]

Well if its a race then lebanon would also have to be jewish people, as they are in the same area. Same way Spanish people are not Hispanic, as Portuguese aren't.

Spaniards aren't Hispanic??

[wicked]

Same way Spanish people are not Hispanic

We aren't? Wow, I've got to call my grandmom and tell her that one!